Pan-Fried Pointed Cabbage with Leeks and Bacon Recipe

Kitchen gardens were common in Dutch towns and cities in the Middle Ages. The most common crops that were grown included cabbage, leeks, onions, celery and parsley. Many medieval recipes teamed cabbage with leeks, onions and herbs and we're continuing that tradition with this simple vitamin C-packed side dish. We've used pointed cabbage (also called Chinese cabbage in English, and spitskool in Dutch) because it is sweeter than regular cabbage and requires less time to cook.

What You'll Need

5 slices bacon

2 tablespoons butter

1 red onion (in rings)

2 leeks (in rings)

1 pointed cabbage (Chinese cabbage, finely sliced)

1 tablespoons parsley (curly leaf, finely chopped)

salt to taste

black pepper to taste

How to Make It

In a dry frying pan or skillet, cook the strips of bacon until crispy.

Remove the bacon from the pan and allow to drain on kitchen paper.

Add 1 tbsp butter to the bacon fat in the frying pan, along with the onion and leeks. Cook gently over a medium-low heat until soft and translucent.

Add the cabbage, and cook until tender, stirring regularly (about 5 mins). Mix through remaining butter and season to taste.

Place the cooked vegetables on a serving plate, crumble the crispy bacon over the dish and scatter with finely chopped parsley.